Marking its landmark tenth edition, Women Tech Quest (WTQ) 2026, the flagship initiative for women in technology organized by digital technology company 10Pearls, convened 1,000 female technologists across Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi for one of Pakistan’s premier women-centric tech events. The nationwide competition attracted more than 5,000 registrations from across the country, highlighting the expanding appetite among Pakistani women for advancing their capabilities in software engineering and artificial intelligence.
A Decade of Impact and Artificial Intelligence Focus
Organized under the overarching theme of “Compete. Create. Connect.” and accompanied by the anniversary slogan “Celebrate 10 Years. 10X the Impact.,” the 2026 edition positioned artificial intelligence at the center of all competitive segments. Participants were tasked with formulating practical implementations through emerging technologies, reinforcing technical skill sets tailored to the requirements of the growing digital economy.
The competition ran simultaneously across three major urban tech hubs to facilitate nationwide access. FAST-NUCES Islamabad hosted roughly 200 participants, while an additional 200 competed at the 10Pearls Lahore premises. The largest gathering convened in Karachi, where more than 600 competitors assembled at the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP). Beyond the core competition floor, more than 400 attendees took part in parallel conference panels, keynote sessions, and professional networking meetups involving university students, practicing engineers, industry leaders, and tech founders.
Three Specialized AI Competition Tracks
Competitors were divided across three targeted domains designed to evaluate practical problem-solving in real-world scenarios: Build with AI, tailored for software development and coding; Imagine with AI, focused on digital interface and product design; and Validate with AI, covering software quality assurance and testing. Each track challenged entrants to incorporate modern AI capabilities directly into standard product engineering workflows, enabling hands-on experience with modern software tools.
Over the last decade, Women Tech Quest has expanded into an established national vehicle aimed at narrowing the gender imbalance in Pakistan’s technology sector. By providing a platform for technical evaluation, peer visibility, and direct linkages with corporate technology leaders, the initiative seeks to integrate more female professionals into the country’s software ecosystem.
Diplomatic and Industry Engagement
The anniversary event drew representation from government institutions, academic bodies, international diplomatic missions, and corporate partners. Among the official attendees were British Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi H.E. Alison Blackburne; the Head of the British High Commission’s Lahore Office, Ben Warrington; Aman Arman, Chief of Staff at the Office of AI & Special Initiatives; and Sidra Jawaid, Head of Governance for Digital Banking at The Bank of Punjab.
Addressing the gathering, Rabia Azfar Nizami, Managing Director for Middle East & Pakistan at 10Pearls, reflected on the ten-year journey of the initiative. She stated: “Ten years ago, Women Tech Quest began with a simple but powerful goal: to create opportunities for women to demonstrate their talent, strengthen their skills, and build meaningful careers in technology. Today, as 1,000 women across three cities come together to compete, learn, and innovate with AI, we are reminded that the talent and ambition are already here. What matters is creating the platforms and pathways that enable women to turn their potential into impact. WTQ is more than a competition; it is an investment in Pakistan’s next generation of women technology leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers. By expanding access to skills, visibility, and opportunity, we are helping build a more inclusive digital future for Pakistan.”
Winners and Corporate Collaborations
The day concluded with the announcement of nine top winners spread across the coding, design, and testing tracks. The successful participants were awarded a cumulative cash prize pool of PKR 500,000, along with AI platform credits and technical resources provided by Google and Figma.
WTQ 2026 received backing from several commercial and ecosystem partners, including The Bank of Punjab, Lay’s, Figma, Hilton Pharma, and Cheezious. The cross-industry support emphasized ongoing commercial commitments toward expanding technical training, professional network building, and workplace diversity within Pakistan’s modern knowledge economy.
